The conversation surrounding sexism in the hospitality industry has gained momentum this week as 70 female chefs signed an open letter calling for an end to inequality in restaurants.
The letter was penned by The Pem head chef Sally Abé, Tiella founder Dara Klein and chef and Sunday Times bestseller Poppy O’ Toole in response to an interview published this week by The Times in which Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton said that sexism is no longer a problem within hospitality.
The letter has been published in full on The Standard’s website, which you can read here. It is addressed to ‘all those who benefit from the joys of dining out. We are a group of 70 female chefs and hospitality workers, and we need you to know that we are tired. Exhausted by an industry so systematically flawed that we struggle to see ourselves within it.’
The letter goes on to address Atherton’s comments about having never witnessed sexism in the industry, highlighting ‘inappropriate comments and behaviours’ and ‘unequal opportunities for advancement’ as just some of the issues female chefs face in the workplace.
![Sally Abe's Instagram post]()
Sally Abé's Instagram post detailing the open letter
The letter also reprimands the Michelin Guide for not doing enough to initiate equality in the industry, stating that over the past four years, only two women have been awarded Michelin stars.
Indeed, Michelin has faced backlash after only awarding one female-led restaurant a Michelin star at its 2025 Awards Ceremony this month - Caractére by Emily Roux. This felt add odds with international director of the Michelin Guides Gwendal Poullennec, who spoke on stage about the importance of ‘the emergence and the recognition of female talent.’
Jason Atherton, who owns the newly opened Row on 5, City Social, Sael and Three Darlings, sparked debate amongst chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality workers for his response when asked if he thinks women still experience sexism in restaurants. The interview reads: ‘No, not really. I’ve not seen it. Any industry has its ups and downs. I think there’s way too much focus on our industry because of that...I think there’s too much focus on the negative side of our industry, rather than what is great like the fact that you can be any gender now in our industry and flourish.’
The comments were met with derision on social media, with Poppy O’Toole posting a public response on Instagram in which she describes her own experiences of harassment in kitchens, and calls on the industry to stop ignoring the problem. ‘It is disappointing to see a leader in our industry diminish the experiences of those who have spoken out openly about the sexism in the hospitality industry’, she wrote.
The post has since had over 26,000 likes and over 1,000 comments, including a sobering number of women sharing their personal experiences of sexism in restaurants.
Atherton has since published an apology on Instagram explaining that he ‘would like to put the record straight.’
‘I do not condone sexism in the industry or anywhere. A high % of our staff are women. Some of our most senior positions are held by women.’
‘During that interview I was asked a question about sexism in our industry which caught me off guard, I didn’t feel it was my place to answer that question myself and tried to move on to another topic, by simply saying I hadn’t witnessed any sexism.
‘I do generally believe our industry has moved on a lot in the last decade. I simply meant we are all working hard to make it a much better place. Of course, nothing is perfect in life.’ The chef has received a number of responses to his apology, some supporting him, others not.
Abé, Klein and O'Toole's letter has been signed by 70 female hospitality professionals, including Anna Haugh, Romy Gill, Joke Bakare, Helen Graham, Anna Sogaard, Stosie Madi, Selin Kiazim and many more.